Secale 204. – individual Morbid Dispositions and other Morbid Influences.
We have already observed in previous chapters, that individuality acts an important part in the diversity prevailing among the different forms of syphilis; in this respect, it is certain that natural morbid dispositions should not be overlooked. We are not prepared to determine whether scrofulous individuals are more frequently affected with gonorrhoea than with chancre; at all events, it is certain that impetiginous forms and affections of the osseous system occur more frequently among scrofulous individuals than among other classes of patients; what is beyond doubt is, that syphilis, if it attacks feeble, sickly, cachectic individuals, is very apt to assume a very malignant chapter. On the contrary, if vigorous individuals, affected with some chronic malady, are attacked with syphilis, both diseases, instead of combining into one, will be found to run a parallel course; syphilitic affections may co- exist side by side with scabies, arthritis, herpetic eruptions, and the like. At this very moment, I am treating a patient for syphilitic roseola, upon whom the remains of an old furfuraceous herpes are distinctly visible. The case is different if acute diseases, like measles, scarlatina, small-pox, typhus, etc., supervene during the course of syphilis. In such a case, the further course of syphilis is generally suspended until the new disease has run its course. This suspension is sometimes carried so far-more particularly on the part of small-pox and typhus-that even chancres, buboes, mucous tubercles, gonorrhoea, exanthems, etc., disappear entirely, while the acute disease is running its course, a fact that has given rise to the idea that typhus and variola have power to destroy the whole syphilitic process in its very germ. This, however, is not the case; the morbid process had only been suspended; even if the suspended primary phenomena do not reappear, the syphilis is not on that account eradicated, but as I know from personal observation, secondary phenomena break out sooner or later, after the typhus or small-pox has run its course, or even during the period of convalescence; and these secondary phenomena increase in intensity, in proportion as the patient gains in strength. In some cases, these secondary symptoms do not break out till some time after every vestige of the acute disease has entirely vanished. It may even happen that, if such an acute disease breaks out while the organism harbors a masked constitutional syphilis in its tissues, the supervention of an acute disease may occasion an outbreak of the syphilitic disease; any other non-epidemic, but purely accidental disease, may have the same result. A violent catarrhal fever, a considerable derangement of the stomach, a severe mechanical injury attended with wound-fever, a fever-and-ague, in short, any thing that may give rise to some disease, such as violent emotions, intoxication, excessive physical exertions, hard labor, etc., may cause secondary syphilis to leave its latent condition, and to become an active and manifest disease. Whether the prevailing genius of disease contributes something to give shape to the syphilitic malady, in this sense, for instance, that, if catarrhs or sore throats prevail, syphilitic diseases of the mucous membranes are more frequent; of if erysipelatous inflammations prevail, exanthematic forms constitute the ruling manifestations of syphilis; yea, whether, as some pretend, the present increase of syphilitic diseases has its origin in the epidemic scarlatina of 1820 and 1821, we are unable to prove by arguments; these have yet to be furnished by those who have started such a very broad assertion. From a theoretical point of view, this seems, indeed, possible, and even comprehensible; however, what seems possible is not, on that account, always real, more particularly with regard to syphilis, which runs, anyhow, a very capricious course.
Secale 205. – Dietetic and Medical Influences.
If some authors, relying on the popular measures against syphilis enacted in the year 1524 by the public authorities; and relying, moreover, upon the apparently favorable results of the starvation-cure, maintain that nothing is more favorable to the development and strengthening of syphilis than an invigorating diet, and strong beverages, and if they quote among the list of these dangerous articles such things as chocolate, ham, roast- veal, etc., we feel bound, in common with all enlightened homoeopaths, to oppose such wild theories. So far as I am concerned, I have never seen the least injury result from a wholesome, nourishing diet. I have cured the worst kind of chancre by appropriate homoeopathic treatment, more speedily and thoroughly, notwithstanding the patient enjoyed the best kind of food, than the boasted starvation-cure has ever been able to accomplish; for, even if the virulence of the disease should seem somewhat lessened, under the influence of such a proceeding, it returns again in all its original vehemence, in proportion as the patient regains his strength by resuming his former diet. That all excesses in eating and drinking, specially the immoderate use of spirituous beverages, favor the progress of syphilis, is so self-evident, that it seems unnecessary to dwell upon such a point. What, however, cannot be impressed upon the attention of physicians with too much force, is the fact, that large dose of improper medicines, or even of the most appropriate and specifically-curative medicines, promote the spread of syphilitic ulceration. Although this truth has been frequently proclaimed even by old-school physicians, yet it unfortunately remains unheeded, even by many so-called homoeopathic practitioners, who boldly assert the doctrine that Mercury, Iodine, Phosphorus, etc., may be given in large doses, without aggravating the disease, and that all such seeming aggravations are mere natural exacerbations of the malady, that have to be met by still larger quantities of the medicine. What other physicians, of the so-called philosophico-natural school, write of substances friendly to syphilis, and of other substances hostile to syphilis, some of which-like Mercury, Gold, Copper, ARsenic, Lead, Sal-ammoniac, and other preparations of Kali- always exert a curative influence; whereas others-such as Iron, the Carbonates, Cinchona, Angustura, substances containing Tannin, and likewise Phosphorus, Sulphur, and other agents having power to destroy the metallic character-exert a hurtful influence, favorable to the promotion of syphilitic growths; such doctrines, beside containing many germs of truth, yet are so replete with baseless theories, that we cannot subscribe to them as indiscriminately as they are authoritatively presented in allopathic treatises. Even the high reputation of the sulphur- baths of Aix-la-Chapelle, as restores of a masked syphilis, seems to me only partially merited. I have seen patients return from such baths with an apparently restored syphilitic exanthem, which, however, upon closer examination, proved to be a true sulphur eruption, that had been falsely diagnosed by the allopathic attendant as a syphilitic exanthem. As regards the salts of Chlorine, I am prepared to confirm the universally- received opinion, that the emanations of the sea, and hence sea- voyages, are almost always prejudicial to syphilitic patients, and impart, more particularly to primary ulcers, or to bad forms of secondary syphilis, a very malignant and obstinate character. This remark likewise applies to salt diet. If, in the first period of Homoeopathy, Hahnemann’s disciples interdicted every species of salted or smoked meat, this strictness-although, as a general rule, the dietetic rules of the Homoeopathy are much less rigid now than they used to be-had better be kept up, so far as the treatment of syphilis is concerned. The exclusion of herrings, dried cold-fish, ham, salt meat, oysters, mussels, and the like, from the table of syphilitic patients, can only redound to their advantage, for the additional reason that these articles of diet do not constitute a strictly wholesome nourishment. Whether, as some assert, syphilitic ulcers are made worse by the use of crabs, and the other kinds of shell-fish, or by the use of pork and gooseflesh, I am unable to say; at any rate, no patient will get hurt by abstaining from the use of these articles. We shall discuss these points more fully in the next division of this work, where we shall likewise introduce a few general diagnostic and therapeutic considerations that seem to us deserving of a careful perusal by those who desire to combat syphilis with success.
